FLOODS

BY
V. RAMA LI NGAM
EN V.ED N.CE LL
STA TE TR AININ G CENT RE
DI REC TO RATE OF SC HO OL ED UCA TI ON
PO ND ICHE RR Y
Floods are one of the most common
hazards in India. Flood effects can be
local, impacting a neighborhood or
community, affecting entire river basins
and multiple states.

However, all floods are not alike. Some

floods develop slowly, sometimes over a
period of days. But flash floods can develop
quickly, sometimes in just a few minutes
and without any visible signs of rain.
India accounts one fifth of the global
deaths count due to floods

Over 30 million people are

displaced yearly

The most flood prone states are

Assam, Bihar,West Bengal,
Orrissa, A.P, Gujarat etc.
Flash floods often have a dangerous
wall of roaring water that carries
rocks, mud, and other debris and can
sweep away most things in its path.
 Flo odin g can also occur wh en a dam
breaks, pro ducin g effe cts simil ar to
fla sh floods.

Be a wa re o f fl ood h aza rds n o

matt er wh ere you live , b ut
especially if you li ve i n a lo w-
ly ing area, n ear wa te r o r
down str eam fro m a dam.

Every st ate i s a t r isk fr om th is h aza rd.

What Would You Do?

You and your family moved from a

neighborhood area

You always kept some extra food, water,

and other supplies on hand and maintained
an earthquake insurance policy, just in case
something happened.
FloodWatch:
Flooding is possible. Tune in to Radio or
television for information.

Flash Flood Watch:

Flash flooding is possible. Be prepared to
move to higher ground; listen to Weather
reports in Radio, television for information
Take Protectice Measures Before a Flood
To prepare for a flood, you should:

Avoid build in g i n a flo odplain u nle ss

you e le vate and rein fo rce y our home .

Elevate t he f urn ace, wate r h eater,

and electric panel if susceptib le to
flo odin g.
Install "check valves" in sewer traps to
prevent flood water from backing up into
the drains of your home.
 Effective evacuation plan should be
prepared and rehearsed.

Train people in saving lives during floods.

Area flood mapping should be updated

and prepared time to time

Drainage system in the area should be

kept free of silt.
 Construct b arriers (levees,
beams , flo odwalls ) to s to p
flo odwa te r fro m e nterin g the
build ing.
Se al wa lls in basements with
wa terproofin g c ompounds t o avoid
seepage.

During a F lo od
If a flo od is li kely i n your are a, y ou
should :
 Lis te n to th e radio o r t ele visio n
fo r i nfo rmation.
Be a wa re t hat fla sh f lo oding can
occur. If there i s a ny possibil it y of a
fla sh flood, mo ve imm edia tely to
hig her g round.
Do n ot wait fo r in str uctions to move.

Be aware of streams, drainage channels,

canyons, and other areas known to flood
suddenly. Flash floods can occur in these areas
with or without such typical warnings as rain
clouds or heavy rain.
If you must prepare to evacuate,
you should do the following:
Secure yo ur home . If yo u have tim e,
bring in outd oor fu rniture. Mo ve
essentia l i tems to a n u pper fl oor.
Turn off u tilitie s a t th e ma in
switc hes or va lves i f i nst ructed
to do so.
Disc onnect e le ctric al appli ances.

Do not touch electrical equipment if you

are wet or standing in water.
 Do not use slippers as you may slip

During rainy season be cautious of domestic

animals especially dogs around you as these
animals become restless in wet weather
 WHA T WOU LD YOU D O?

If yo u have to leave your home,

reme mb er t hese e vacuation tip s:

Do n ot wa lk t hro ugh mo vin g wa ter.

Six in ches o f mo vin g wa ter can
make y ou fa ll.

If yo u h ave to wa lk i n wa ter, wa lk
wh ere t he wa ter is n ot mo vin g.

Us e a s tic k to check t he fir mn ess o f

the g round in fr ont of you.
Do not drive into flooded areas. If
floodwaters rise around your car, abandon
the car and move to higher ground if you can
do so safely.

You a nd the v ehic le can be

quic kly swe pt a wa y.

Watch out for animals and reptiles especially

poisonous snakes, that may come to your house
with flood water.
Drivin g F lo od F acts

The fo ll owing are i mporta nt points to

reme mb er wh en driv ing in fl ood
conditio ns:
Six in ches o f wa ter will re ach th e
bott om o f mo st p assenger c ars causing
lo ss of c ontrol a nd poss ib le st all in g.

A foot of water will float many vehicles.

Two fe et of r ushin g wa ter c an c arr y

away m ost v ehic les in clu din g s port
utility v ehic les and p ic k-u ps.
Aft er a F lo od
The fo ll owing are g uid eli nes fo r th e
perio d fo ll owing a flo od:
Listen for news reports to learn whether the
community’s water supply is safe to drink.

Avoid floodwaters; water may be

contaminated by oil or raw sewage.

Water may also be electrically

charged from underground or
downed power lines.
Be awa re of are as wh ere fl oodwa ters
have re ceded. Roads ma y have
we akened and could colla pse under
the we ig ht of a c ar.
Sta y awa y fr om down ed powe r lin es,
and report them to the power
comp any.

Return h ome only wh en

auth oritie s in dic ate i t i s s afe .
 Stay out of any building if it is surrounded by
floodwaters.

Use extreme caution when entering buildings;

there may be hidden damage, particularly in
foundations.

Service damaged septic tanks, cesspools,

pits, and leaching systems as soon as
possible. Damaged sewage systems are
serious health hazards.
Clean and disinfect everything that got
wet. Mud left from floodwater can contain
sewage and chemicals.

Public awareness, Consciousness

and education in environmental
management will save many lives
in future.